Mechanical musical instrument.



No. 640.922.. Patented Ian. 9, mw

3. A. KUSTER.

MECHANICAL MUSECAL INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Nov. 11, 1895.)

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheei I.

No. 640,922. Paten ted m. 9, 1990. s, A. KUSTER.

HEGHANIQAL MUSICAL HNSTRUMENT.

I (Application filed Nov 11, 1895i (No Model.) 7 Sheets-8heei 2.

Patented Jan. 9, I900. C. A. KUSTEH. MECHANICAL MUSECAL ENSTBUMENT.

(Application filed Nov. 11, 1.895.)

7 Sheets-Sheei 4.

(No Model.)

No. 640,922. Patented Jan. 9, I900.

c. A. KUSTER. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

v (Application filed Nov. 11, 1895.)

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-shat 5.

l v/@710 Zulu/f.

No. 640,922. Patented Jan. 9, I900.

C. A. KUSTER.

MECHANICAL MUSHZAL INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Nov. 11, 1895.)

(No ModeL) 7 Sheeis-Sheet 6.

No. 640,922. Patented Jan. 9, I900.

C. A. KUSTER.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Nov. 11, 1895.)

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Shoat 7.

46 70 0 fl a 27 UNITED QFFICE;

CHARLES A. KUSTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSlGNOR TO THE WELLINGTONMANUFACTURING COliiPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MECHAFHGAL iVlUSlQAi... ENTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,922, dated January9, 1900.

Application filed November 11. 1895. Serial No- 568,620. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may cancer/1 Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. KUsrEa, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, (Brooklym) inthe county of 5 Kings and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to mechanical musical instruments, andparticularly to that variety wherein the keys of an ordinary piano or organ or other similar keyed instrument are operated by suitable mechanismthrough the medium of air-currents controlled or regulated by themovements of a sheet of paper or other suitable material properlyperforated for the purpose.

The chief object of my invention is to provide or produce an apparatusby which the keyed instrument may be operated by mechanical means withaccuracy and perfection in every respect-the same as by the hand of amusician, but without in any way interfering with the use oftheinstrument for hand-playing when required.

Subordinate objects are to improve the construction and arrangement ofthe operating mechanism throughoutits various details; to render itperfect in action, easy to operate and keep in repair, accessible,compact, and simple; to dispose the various parts of the operatingmechanism so that other parts of the instrument may be easily reachedfor tuning or repairs or such changes as maybe required and to arrangeand locate the whole within one casing, differing from the ordinarycasing oi the instrument only in a small increase in depth, and to unitethe parts of the casing so they will be solid and substantial and yeteasily taken apart or assembled.

, To accomplish these v'arious objects and to secure other'and furtheradvantages in con- .struction, convenience, operation, and use, myimprovements involve certain'new and useful arrangements or combinationsof. parts and peculiar features of invention as will be herein firstfully described and then pointed out in the claims. p

' In the drawings, Figure l is averticai sec.- tion and elevation of a"musical instrument having my im pr'verhents applied thereto, the

view being taken upon a plane at right angles with the face of theinstrument. Figs,

2 and 2 are vertical longitudinal sectional views and partial elevations-Fig. 2 of the upperpart, and Fig. 2 of the lower part, of theinstrument-th two figures being separated as required by the scale towhich they are drawn, but intended to be viewed together,

as it upon one sheet, constitutinga completeo View. Fig. 3 is a frontview, partly in sec tion and partly in elevation, showing a fragment ofthe casing and the base part of the instrument, the twopart-s beingslightly sep arated and the manner of coupling and securing them beingplainly indicated. Fig. 4 isa horizontal section and planyiewcorresponding in size with Fig. 3, representing the manner of hangingand locating the pedals, the hinged treadles, and other details. Fig. 5is a horizontal section and partial plan showing the manner of unitingthe piano-back with the end pieces so they may be easily disconnected.Fig. 6 isa front elevation of, the upper part of the instrument, showingthe sliding door partially opened, exposing a portion of the music-sheetand-its rollers in the space which the door is intended to close. Fig. 7

is an elevation, with fragments in section, representing the manner inwhich the main "por- 8o tions of the instrument are hinged and arrangedto be moved in order to afford access to the interior for tuning orrepairs, the. Fig.

8 is a sectional elevation upon a scale larger than previous figures,illustrating the means employed forefieotuating, regulating, andindicating themovements of the paper or music-sheet.roll; and-Fig. 9 isa similar View showing the manner andmeans of changing the movement ofthe rolls towiud or unwind, 0 as maybe required. Fig. 10 is a sectionalelevation showing the construction and arrangement of the main pumps bywhich the instrument may be operated by power when the foot-treadles aredispensed with or not re- 5 'quired to be used. Fig. 11 is a detail Viewof one eta-the disks with its diaphragm on a larger scale than previousfigures.

In all the figures likelettersand numerals of reference indicatecorresponding parts wherloo ever they occur. v

The improvements are herein shown in con front part of the casing areshown three hori-r nection with the casing and action of an uprightpiano.

The striking mechanism may be of any approved pattern. A A represent theusual (in- V ger-keys, which are pivoted at points between theirextremities, as at a, and A is one of the hammers or strikers actuatedby the fingerkeys through any suitable connecting parts, as those shownin Fig. 1. A is one of the dampers calculated to limit or vary thevibration of the string after it has been struck by the hammer, and thedotted line A in Fig. 1

zontal chambers, as 1 2 3, and these are compactly bestowed, so as tooccupy the space to advantage. The number of these chambers may beincreased or diminished, according to the size of the instrument, itbeing only necessary that accommodation shall be'afforded for thenecessary number of*pneumatics for operating the instrument. From thechambers the air is kept under constant exhaustion while the instrumentis beingplayede that is, the air is continually being exhausted by themain pumps, the degree of exhaustion being in all as nearly uniform aspossible. The chambers are located in a casing or trunk, as best shownin Fig. 2.

Beneath the chambers l 2 3 and midway of the length of the instrumentare alternating pumps B and C, calculated to be worked by the feet ofthe operator when other power is not available, and that these maybeeffective and calculated to employ the foot-power to best advantage theyarepf peculiar construction and are peculiarly connected with thetreadles. The pumps are in the form of bellows, the upper part beingstationary and the lower part movable. To the lower part are attachedarms B and O, and on these are hinged the foot'pieces B and C in amanner substantially as shown, so that they may be turned up against thecasing and out of the way when not required for use. The upper-and lowerplates of these pumps are supplied with openings of any number desired,and these openings are valved in such a way that when the lower plate isdepressed air will be drawn into the pump from the top, excluded fromentering elsewhere, and be expelled through the bottom openings uponelevating the lower plate, being at the same time prevented from findingits way back through the upper openings. For the valves 1 supply eachopening with a thin piece of rubber or other suitable 1 yieldingmaterial, the same depending and having a central aperture whichnormally remains closed by the elasticity of the material, but whichwill open when air is drawn or forced down through it and close when itstendencyis to travel in the opposite direction. These valves arerepresented at Z) I), 52. They make an effective seal for the pumps, andin this position are preferred to the ordinary flaps or flap-valves. Theimproved form of valve is totally noiseless and cheap and easy to apply.

In situations where mechanical power is available the instrument shouldbe capable of being operated by it, and I therefore supply asufficiently-powerful pump of the character represented in Fig. 1 Inthis the bellows D E are operated from the crank-shaft F throughconnecting-rods D E and the air is exhausted from chamber G: in a mannerwhich will be readily understood. This chamberis placed in communicationwith the trunk from which pumps 18 and 0 might exhaust the air, and whenthe power-prim p is required to be used the connection is made throughthe opening G and a pipe G specially provided for the purpose andlocated within the'casing of the instrument.

The pump, Fig. 10, may be large and pow ert'ul, and it isnot thereforerequired to be so sensitive in action as pumps B C; but the parts aremade heavy and strong, the base especially being or" sufiicientstability, so that the pump may be simply set down at any con venientpoint or place and is then ready to receive the power-belt and to beconnected with the instrument, requiring no specialset ting, as in otherforms.

The pipe-G should of course be closed, as by a'plug shown in dottedlines, Fig. 2, when the pumpsB and (3 alone are used; otherwise airwould enter this pipe and prevent the pumps from doing their proper workof errhausting air from the trunk.

The perforated musicshpet is represented at 4 in Figs. 1 and 6. This ismade to travel at a regular rate of speed over and in contact with adevice called the tracker, (indicated at The tracker is supplied withthe requisite number of perforations and with separate tubes or conduitsfor each leading to -the proper pneumatic, located in one of the severalchambers above described. These tubes are represented at c 0, only oneof which is completelyshown in Fig. l. Aperforation in the music-sheetregistering with a port in the tracker admits atmospheric air, whichpasses along duct 0 and, arriving at the diaphragm-pneumatic under disk(1, inflates the same and, raising the two valves Z and e, shuts oftexhaust and admits atmosohere under disk f, inllat-ingit,and,raisingvalves h and g, shuts off atmosphere and establishes communicationbetween the interior of the pneumatic-bellows 2' and the exhaust, whichbellows collapses and lifts the rod K. The pneumatics are of peculiarand novel construction andope ation.

mitted to the under side of disk d, which closes the port into whichtube 0 enters, forces that disk to rise, and thus a valve Z is closedAir being ad refc ients 1 and the port under valve e is opened,admitting air from the exterior through the channel shown to the underside of a similar disk f, which then rises, closingthe exterior port 9and opening port it. Exhaustion then takes place or extends through portit to the interior of bellows @which. instantly closes, carrying with itthe push pin or rod 7a, which is adjusted to strike the inner endof keyAupwardly with the same elfect as if its outer end were struckdownwardly, as in playing with the-fingers. Thus the striking movementof the keyiseifected. When an imperforate part of the sheet covers thetracker-duct,a reversal of the position of all the parts in the trainensues, the inflated disk-pneu matics being emptied of air by a smallleak like that caused by thebranch exhaust 56 under the disk-pneumatic57 Fig. 8. The opening of the bellows is assisted by the weight of therod 70 and the bottom plate of the bellows.

The opening action is instantaneous, same as the closing action, andthus the fingerstroke perfectly imitated.

The stems which carry valves Z and c and I the other similar val vcs arepreferably guided in their up and down movements by being passed throughperforated arms, as m m; but

these are not always necessary.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the parts which go to makeup the complete pneumatic for operating each key are th rec innumber,and hence I term this form triple pneumatic. The parts are thefirst set of valves and disk which are brought into action by theventing produced by the perforated music-sheet, the second set of valvesand disk brought into action by the venting produced bythe first setabove named, and the bellows. This-triple pneumatic permits me to employa bellows of ample capacity and power to strike the blows as required.Asingle set of valves and a bellows would not accomplish the desiredobject, for the reason that the perforations through the music -sheetare too small to permit ventilation enough to directly actupon thebellows, so I employ the smaller set of valves to ventilate the largerset. All the disks that are operated by air-currents from the ductsinvolve flexible diaphragms made air-tight around the edges of theirseats above the air-ducts leading to their under sides.

,6 and? are two pedals such as are usually employed in pianos to va ythe expression; 'butjthey are arranged and hung dill'erently, so as toaccommodate other parts and enable them tobe-worked by my improvedmeans, as wellga's by the players feet when required.

When the soft pedal is depressed, the hammersrare'carried closer to thestrings, thus softeningtheblow-or stroke, and when the loud pedal isdepressedthe dampers are carriedaway from the strlngsfllh us allowingthem to vibratefreely. Thepedals 6 aud tare connected with or form part,of making shafts 6? 'Jflhaving rearward extensions 7, from which riserods 8 and 9. The rockingshafts 6 7 are journaled in blocks onthepianobase, and extend beneath the interior fittings to one end of thecasing, so that rods 8 and 9 may be carried up'without interfering withthe working parts. 4

l0 and 11 are two pneumatics calculated to work the pedal-shafts, andthey are connected with these shafts in such way as to allow them to bemoved by the feet when required without disturbing the pneumatics. Fromthe top plates of these pneumatics 10 and 11 (the bottom plates beingfast) rods, as 12 and 13, extend down and embrace or pass through armson the rocking shafts, so when the pneumatic-s are closed by reason ofair being exhausted therefrom they will operate the pedals. Themusic-sheet is perforated on one margin according to the expressiondesired. Tubes n and 0 lead from the corresponding openings in thetracker back to the valves which govern the communication between theair-exhausting apparatus and the interior of pneumatics 10 and 11. Oneof these tubes is indicated in Fig. 2, as is also one set of the valves,the other being omitted because the two are similar.

The chamber represented at 14 is exhausted of air through pipe 15,having two branches, as shown. As soon as air enters tube 71. itventilates the space under diskld, forcing that disk to rise and openvalve 17, which establishes communication between pipe 15 and pipe 18,the latter (1 8) entering the space between valves 16 and 17 and leadingto the interior of pneumatic 10. communication is established pneumatic1O closes and carries the pedal-bar, as will be seen. The bar isreturned to its normal position after having been thus moved by thesprings of the dampers and by the weight of the rod 8, which acts uponarm 6 as upon a lever, and being thus returned it carries up the topplate of pneumatic 10, leaving it in position to be operated again. Thepneumatic 11 is operated upon the same general plan. The music-sheethaving moved far As soon as the.

enough to. close the opening to-tube n, venvalve 17 ready for the nextmovement.

The force of the blow with which the keys are struck or the touch isregulated and con' trolled in a peculiar manner by specially-providedpneumaties. The music-sheet is propor] y perforated at the pointswhere'the touch 1 is to be varied, and tubes, as it, lead .from' thetracker to the proper pneumatics. Only I one of these tubes isindicatedi-inplaceg Fig. 2, the others being similarand leading to" likepneumaticsffor like purposes; Tubertl leads to the under side of a disk19, whichon the admission of air is forced to rise, openings-valve-20-and permitting exhaustion r-totake place throughtuhe-2l,.-leadingto.the in terior of bellows or pneumatic 22, which 22having tubes leading to their interiors and arms, as 23, arranged .2 and8. Upon the shaft the same being supplied with index-plate 33,

olate 34, Figs.

thereupon closes. This pneumatic is connected with and carries a slidingba T as it opens and closes. The sliding bar ii is connected with a rodT by a bell-crank lever H and the rod l in turn through a jointedportion 1' with bell-crank levers l l 1 and these latter withslide'valves K K K. The slidevalves K, as indicated, govern the area ofopenings leading to the pneumatics, which accomplish the strokes. uponthe keys, and, thus control the rapidity and force with which the airmay be withdrawn from'them, and consequently the rapidity and force withwhich the striking of the keys maybe effected.

, and 22 are other pneumatics like I to strike against pins in the bar Hor to be struck by said pins when the bar is moved. Stops, as 24, areprovided, against which arms 23 abut, and these stops are adjusted so asto limit the move ments of the pneumatics 22, 22, 22 and 22 so they willclose to varying degrees. When either of these pneumatics closes, itaffects the opening movement of all valves K according to the degreewhich it is permitted to close, and hence elfects the power of thestroke accordingly. For a slight decrease of force the pneumatic 22 maybe closed, for a slightly greater decrease pneumatic 22 and so on to theone 22, which moves farthest and closes the valves most.

To resume the normal strength of playing, the valves K must be returnedto their original positions, and for this purpose a pneumatic 25 isemployed. This closes in the opposite direction from the others and isconnected with the bar H, so as to move it in the opposite direction tocause the valves K to move back or open. It is operated from the trackerthrough a suitable tube like it and by employment of a disk and valve,like 19 and 20. The music-sheet is of course perforated at the pointwhere it is desired to restore the stroke to its original force.

The traveling of the music-sheet is effected by air-pumps in the form ofbellows, as 26, the same being connected with a crank-shaft 27, Figs. 2,8, and 9, on which is any-wheel 28-to preserve uniformity of motion anda gear 99 to transmit the movement. This gear does not appear in Fig. 2,being behind the shifting-gear, which it turns.

30 is the cylinder on which the paper is originally wound, and 31 theone to which it is transferred as the playing progresses. The cylinder30 being located in place, one end of the sheet is connected withcylinder 31,which is turned by the mechanism above described, beingdrawn in contact with the tracker. The rapidity of this movement, andconsequently the time in which the music is rendered, is regulated byturning the indicatonknob 32,

inovingin centact with a fixed" the knob is.

gear 35, engaging with a rack 36, adjustable up and down. The rack ispivoted to a leverbar 37, which carries sliding valves 33, cal culatedto regulate the amount of air which may be drawn from bellows 26 b jincreasing or decreasing the size of the opening 39 leading therefrom,and thus regulating the time of playing.

After the sheet has been unwound it is necessary, to rewind it upon theoriginal cylinder. To do this, the connection between the motor-bellows26 and the cylinder 31 is interrupted and connection made with the gearon cylinder 30 by swinging the gear $0 on its hinged arm down toconnection with a gear 4C1, which turns larger or multiplying gearalways remaining in mesh with the gear on cylinder 30. The employment ofthe multi plying-gear enables the rewinding to be accomplished at agreater speed than the unwinding.

The adjustment for unwinding or rewinding is effected by pneuma'tics inthe form of bellows 42 43, the movable plates of these two beingconnected, so that they must move together, one opening while the othercloses, and the reverse. The plates move a bar 4.4, which is pivoted tothe hinged arm 45, car rying the shiftinggear 4:0, the latter beingalways in mesh with gear 29. Two sets of valves are located in acompartment 46, from which air is exhausted through a tube 4 7, andthese valves are operated upon the same general plan as similar valvespreviouslyde scribed. Venting-tubes 4:8 49 are provided with aslide-valveoO, held to its seat by a suitable spring and having a handleor stem 51 projecting through to the exterior of the casing, Fig. 6. Bymoving the valve 50, as indicated in Fi 2, the space under the diskconnected with corresponding pneumatic in compartment 46 will beventilated and air exhausted from bellows e3, causing it to close,carrying gear up, so as to effect the unwinding of the music-sheet. Uponshitting valve to theopposite position the bellows 42 will be closed,carrying shifting-gear 40 down and into mesh with gear ail, thuseffecting the rewin ling.

When the'rewinding is commenced, -it is necessary to cut off exhaustionfrom the chambers containing the pneumatics which operate the keys, asotherwise the strings would be struck as the music-sheet traveledbaclnpvejr the tracker. To accomplish this cutting off, a tube 52 leadsdown from between the valves in compartment 46, through which therewinding movement i. indirectly effected, to the interior of apneilmatic. 53 in the base of theinstrument. When this pneumatic closes,as it will do on the instant the said valves are shifted, it carries upand closes a valve 54, which will then shut off all communicationbetween the exhausting-pumps and the trunk with which the chambers orchannels 2 3 communicate. Whenever the said valves are reshifted thepneumatic 53 is ven- ICC tilated and automatically opens, allowing valve54 to open.

Each of the pneumatics 26 is supplied with a peculiar valve and diskpneumatic, as shown in Fig. 8. Exhaustion takes place through tube 55and its branch 56. The bellows 26 being open, the under side of disk 57is ventilated from the exterior, compelling it to rise and carry upvalves 58 and 59, whereupon the bellows 26 is collapsed, being ventedthrough exhaust-tube 55. Then as the crank shaft 27 continues-to move orturn an eccentric cam on this shaft turns so as to permit the bearingend of pivoted arm'Gl. to approach the shaft under the influence of its.s nin 02. This movement of arm 61 on the opposite end of which is avalve 63, causes said valve to close the ventilating port, whereupon theexhaustion through the lower branch 56 of tube 55 will cause the disk 57to draw down, carrying valves 58 and 59 down, 58 opening and 59 closing.Then the bellows 26 is free ,to be opened as the crank-shaft turns, thecam 60 opening the valve 63 at the same time, and thus the movements arecon tinued. The three pneumatics 26 are connected with the crank-shaft,as shown, so that no two of said pneumatics shall occupy the sameposition at the same time.

The pumps 13 and O are mounted beneath the lower fixed plate of achamber 64; in the form of a bellows, of which the top plate s movable.This chamber is of considerable capacity and extends about the length ofthe trunk, as shown in Fig. 2. Springs, as 65,

are employed to keep this chamber open when the pumps are not at work,and against the force of these springs the pumps must draw the air fromthe chamber, which operates to carry a sufficient vacuum to compensatefor any minor irregularities in the movements of the pumps after themanner of a balancingchamber. To indicate to the operator the degree ofexhaustion throughout the instrument,and consequently its condition forplaying, apivoted arm 66 is connected at one end with the movable edgeof top plate of chamber 64 and at the other end carries a rod 6'7,leading up to a position above the bank of keys and provided there witha projecting arm and button 68. The position of the button will indicatethe position of the top plate of chamber Gi aud therefore the degree ofexhaustion.

The cylinders 30 and 81 are made of metal toinsurepermanent accuracyand,b eingmade hollow, are light and at the same time durable and notliable to be damaged. Each is supplied with metallic end flanges to keepthe musicsheet in proper line, the flanges being beaded on the edges toprevent possibility of catching the paper. The cylinder 31 is mounted inthe machine and intended to remain there, but the other, 30, must beremovable. It is centered at one end, as on an adjustable pin 68, and atthe other end is held by a clutch 69. This clutch is provided with oneor more The end is thus easily, quickly, and

crowd it toward and against the action of spring 70 far enough torelease it from pin 68, when it may be dismounted and another one put inits place. To adjust the next one, its

end is set properly in the clutch 69 and borne,

with the clutch, toward spring 70 far'enough for the opposite end toclear pin 68. Then when properly centered the spring will carry it up toits working position.

The cylinders, tracker, and music-sheet are located in a compartment atthe central and back of the front casing of the instrument, and thiscompartment is closed by a sliding door 71, which may be easily opened,exposing fully all the parts in the compartment, which may then bereached at will. hen this door is closed, all the main working parts areeiiectually concealed and the in strument has the appearance of anordinary upright piano.

The end pieces '72 72 of the casing (see Fig. 3) must be firmlyconnected with the base part 73 and in such a way that they may beremoved when required for packing and shippin For this purpose nuts, as74 74, are let into the end pieces and bolts 75 75 passed up through thebase 73 to engage in the nuts, suitable channels being provided to admitthe bolts. The bolts are turned from the under side of the base-and whenproperly tightened they hold the end pieces down in the desired rigidmanner.

IIO

The piano-back (represented in outline at v 76, Fi 5) is united with theend pieces and made detachable therefrom. This back carries thestraining-plate, with the strings, and is generally quite heavy. The endpieces '72 are provided each with a dovetail plate 77, suitably anchoredin place, and the piano back 76 with corresponding plates .78Z8fanchored thereto. To remove the piano-back, the top of the instrumentis first dismounted and then this part moved up on the ways providedbythe dovetail joint.- The connection is solid and rigid when the partsare in place, and it admits of ready disunion when required.

The music-rolls, tracker, winding and un winding pneumatics, andtheexpressionpneumatics are mounted ina box or frame 79, which is intendedto be swung up and back and may rest on the piano-back when the cover ofthe pi'anopasing is removed, so

it will expose the upper parts of the strings and action free tobe'reached when required, as for tuning. For this purpose the box 79 ismounted on hinge-arms 80, (see Figs. 1 and 7 and these are journaled oraxled in open blocks 81, which permit them to be withdrawn whenrequired, so the box, with all its interior fittings, may be bodilydetached or lifted out from the instrument. To admit of this, thevarious tubes leading from the tracker and other parts within the box 79 are connected with one section 82 of a bar suitably perforated toreceive them, and this section is connected with box 79 by suitablebraces, as 83, so as to move therewith. The section 82 registers with acorresponding section 84, having similar perforations from which thetubes lead to the parts below,

forming continuations of the tubes above when the two sections aretogether. The union of the two sections is required to be quite close,and for this reason they are properly faced and the section 82 suppliedwith a number of screw-bolts 85, which pass through between theperforations and engage with the other section. On disconnecting thesebolts, disuniting or dismounting the parts i and I'm? the rod whichmoves the expression-dampers, and disconnecting tubes 47, 18, 15,. and52 the box maybe turned up. A stop 86, with a spring 87, Fig. 7, arreststhe box in its downward movement, and the spring engages a suitable pin88 in the box to hold-it against accidental movement, as when the pianois being moved about.

The bank of keys may be withdrawn, and for this purpose the piece 89 onwhich it is mounted is provided with grooves on its ends, and these rideor slide upon stationary flanges 90, suitably anchored to the casing.The hammers and dampers, with their connectingpieces,called thepiano-action, are mounted on frames 91, as usual. It may be removed,when the bank of keys will be free to be displaced by drawing it out onthe slides. The chambers 1, 2, and 3 are mounted in a trunk, beforereferred to. This is indicated in outline at 92, Fig. '7, and is hingedor journaled in open brackets 03 on bottom plate of chamber 64:, so itmay be turned down or lifted out of place after the bank of keys is outof the way and after box 79 has been swung out of the way. lhe trunk 92carries with it the section S-l of the registering bar or plate.

In Figs. 7 and fthe part ml represents the box, which contains the valve54. and with which the trunk 92 must register when it is down, asindicated in Fig. 2.

At 95, Fig. 2, is a safety -valve held closed by a suitable spring..Vhen the chamber 64. is drawn down to its proper limit, a pin 96,carried by the upper plate, strikes valve 95 and opens the same,allowing air to enter the chamber, and thus preventing damage by undueexhaustion.

Being constructed and arranged substantially in accordance with. theforegoing eX- planations, the improved instrument is compact, its partseasilydismounted as required, the valves are noiseless, the imitation ofhand-playingis quite perfect, and the instru ment may be played with thehands precisely as if other adjuncts were not present.

'Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new herein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mechanicalmusical instrument, the combination with thebalancing-bellows 64, of the alternating pumps, B, 0, having upperplates fixed to the side of said bellows and having movable lower platesand arms applied upon the front margins thereof, said arms carrying thehinged t'readles, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the pumps having fixed upper plates and movablelower plates, of the arms B and 0' applied upon the edges of the movableplates of the pumps, and the footpieces B C hinged upon the arms and arranged to be turned up against the front of the casing through whichthey project, substantially as shown and f or the purposes set forth.

In combination with the upper and lower plates of the pumps providedeach with a se ries of perforations as set forth, the noiseless valveslocated in said perforations, the same being composed of flexible stripswhich close against each other and automatically open, substantially asshown and described.

4. In combination with the bar operated by the expression-pneumatics,the pneumatic for returning the said bar to its original position,substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination with the sliding bar H, of the bell-crank levers, theslide-valves K and the jointed connecting-rod l I, substantially asshown and described.

6. In combination with the two rolls carrying the perforatedmusic-sheet, the crankshaft, the pneumatics applied to said shaft, a

gear for transmitting the motion, and ashifting-gear hinged as explainedand arranged to transfer the movement from one roll to the other, theair-exhausting apparatus, the valves for regulating the degree ofexhausti0n,the knob and rack for moving said valves, tube 52, pneumatic53 and valve 51, arranged and operating to control the time of movementof the music-sheet, substantiallyin the manner shown and described. i

7. The pneumatic 2o, tube 55 with branch 50, disk 57, valves 58, 59,crank-shaft, cccentric cam, pivoted arm, spring and valve 63, the partsbeing arranged and combined substantially as shown and for the purposesset forth.

S. In a mechanical musical instrument, the metallic cylinder 30 forcarrying the perforated inusic-sheet, said cylinder having metallic endflanges, one of which is intended to receive the projections upon theclutch, the s me being combined with the recessed clutch 69,centeringpin 68, and spring tially as shown and described.

9. The box or frame 79 hinged as explained and combined with theinstrument-casing as set forth,.so it may withits contents be turned upand back to expose the parts, substantially as shown and described.

10. In combination with box 79 carrying the section, 82,,of theconnecting-bar and the instrument-casing, the hinge-arms 80 and openblocks 81, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

11 In combination with box 79 hinged as explained, the section82 of theconnectingbar, said section being mounted on and made movable with thebox, substantially as and for the'purposes set forth.

, 12. The sections 82 and 84 of the connecting-bar combined with eachother and with the hinged parts on which they are mounted,

70, substanthe two sections being arranged to be united,

substantially in the manner and for the pur poses set forth.

13. The trunk 92 containing chambers 1, 2 and 3, said trunk beingmounted on hingearms journaled in stationary blocks and ranged to beturned down with its contents and attachments, the parts being combinedand arranged substantially as shown and described.

14. Incombination with trunk 92, the section 84 of the connecting-bar,said section being mounted on and .made movable with the trunk,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

15. In a mechanical musical instrument, the hinged removable box andtrunk, the bank of keys arranged to slide on the ways provided for it,the detachable end pieces, piano back and base, all being arranged andcombined to be assembled and disconnected substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of'New York,this 8th day of November, A. D. 1895.

CHARLES A. KUSTER.

Witnesses:

W. J. MORGAN, WORTH Oscoon.

